This Is What It Looks Like When We Let Girls Play Sports

Nike's groundbreaking 1995 commercial "If You Let Me Play" had one clear message: Gender equality in sports and on the playground are integral to improving the lives of women and girls.

The refrain "if you let me play sports," spoken by young girls, leads into their answers, i.e., the positive effects playing sports has on a child's life. In less than 30 seconds, a handful of girls encapsulate the many ways sports fosters the personal qualities we attribute to a feminist ethos. "If you let me play sports," they explain:

"I will have more self-confidence."

"I will be 60% less likely to get breast cancer."

"I will suffer less depression."

"I will be more likely to leave a man who beats me."

"I will be less likely to get pregnant before I want to."

"I will learn what it means to be strong."

Physical strength, not traditionally associated with girls or women, is a quality that has recently been celebrated in media representations of girls and women. From muscular roller derby women to the viral "Strong Is the New Pretty" photo series, female empowerment includes strong bodies as well as strong minds.

Title IX was enacted to make sure male and female students have equal educational opportunities, including school sports. When the policy was enacted in 1972, only 310,000 girls and young women played high school and college athletics. These days, 3.2 million high school girls compete in organized school sports.

While there are still limited opportunities for women to compete professionally, it only means that media representations of strong girls and women are paramount to eradicating ideals about femininity and womanhood. To change a culture requires changing the image — so here are a handful of the millions of young women across the country showing exactly what happens when you let them play sports:

And they're proud of their skills.

Dr. Marcie Bianco is a Staff Writer at Mic, a Contributing Editor at Curve Magazine, and an adjunct associate professor at Hunter College. She has contributed to AfterEllen, Feministing, The Feminist Wire, The Huffington Post, Lambda Literary, XO Jane, and The Women’s Review of Books. She writes and lectures about ethics, from feminism to race relations. Her current writing projects include a manuscript about lesbian academic affairs and a collection of feminist essays.